Leak stopper for ships



Q. WATFORD max STOPPER FOR SHIPS Aug. 3i 1926.

Filed Nov. 10, 1925 A I M 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lli Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

UNITED STATES? messes PATENT caries,

GEORGE NA TFORD, OF DATUIA, FLORIDA.

LEAK STOPFER FOR SHIPS.

Application filed November This invention relates to leak stoppers for ships, and has for one of its objects the provision of a novel device of this character that may be readily applied against the outer side of the vessel 'over an opening therein by persons standing on a deck of the vessel and that may be applied with the minimum of effort and in a comparatively short time.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the leak stopper,

Figure 2 is a' similar View looking at the opposite side of the leak stopper.

Figure 3 is a sectional view illustrating the leak stopper applied to cover an opening in the side of a ship, the section through the leak stopper being taken on the planes indicated by the line 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a similar view, with the exception that the section through the leak stopper is taken on a different plane, the plane being indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and designated in the several views of the accompanying drawings, by similar reference characters. a

In the drawings, 1 designates the side of a ship in which an opening 2 has been punched. The leak stopper which is shown in Figures 3 and 4 in position to close the opening 2, is adapted to be applied against the outer surface of the side 1, and comprises a plate 3 of circular contour and provided with a central opening 4. The plate 3 is provided in its inner side with an annular groove 5 in which is secured an annular gasket 6 adapted to establish a watertight connection between the plate 3 and side 1 of the ship. The plate 3 is provided in its inner side with vertical grooves 7 which are arranged at opposite sides of the opening 4 and in which are arranged finding and retaining arms 8. These parts are pivotally connected at their upper endsto the plate 3 by means of pins 9, and located between the plate and said parts are expansion springs 10. The plate 3 is also provided in its inner side with a vertical groove 11 which extends downwardly from and communi- 10, 1925. Serial No. 68,163.

oates with the opening 4 and a circular recess 12 which is located above and in communication with the opening 4. A finding and retaining arm 13 extends across the opening 4 and has its lower end positioned in the groove 11 and is provided at its upper end with a circular enlargement 14'positioned in the recess 12. The arm 13 is pivoted at its lower end to the plate 3 by a pin 15, and an expansion spring 16 is positioned between this part and the plate 3. The arms 8 and 13 extend through the opening 2 and contact with the inner edge of the wall of said opening, and screws 17 carried by said arms and engaging the inner surface of the side 1 secure the leak stopper in place. The opening 4 is closed by a disk 18 which is removably retained in place against the outer side of the plate 3 by angular lugs 19. A gasket 20 secured to the inner side of the disk 18 and contacting with the other side of the plate 3 establishes a water-tight connection between the disk and plate. A rod 21 is loosely connected as shown at 22 to the upper edge of the plate 3, and a rod 23 is loosely connected as at 24 to the upper edge of the disk 18, and these rods provide means by which the plate 3 may be placed in position to close the opening 2 and the disk 18 thence lowered to close the opening 4.

In practice, the screws 17 are removed from the arms 8 and 13 and the disk 18 from the plate 3 to adapt the device to be applied to cover an opening punched in the side of a ship. The plate 3 is lowered from a deck of the ship in contact with the outer surface of the side in which the opening 2 has been punchepl and with the arms 8 in the grooves 7 and the arm 13 in the groove 11 and recess 12. The arms 8 and 13 are held in this position by reason of their contact with the outer surface of the side of the ship. When the plate 3 has been. lowered far enough to register the lower ends of the arms 8 with the opening 2, these ends of these arms are forced through the opening by the springs 10. When the plate 3 has been lowered far enough to carry the upper view of the fact that the free ends of the arms 8 and 13 can be easily engaged with the inner surface of the side of the ship the plate can be easily and quickly applied, After the plate 3 has been applied, the disk 18 is lowered into the lugs 19 to close the opening- 4i, and after this has been done the screws are applied to the arms 8 and 13 and turned up into engagement with the inner surface of the side of the ship to secure the device in place against casual movement.

It should be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative and do not pretend to give exact proportions. Furthermor the said drawings are illustrative of a preferred construction, it being my expectation that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What is claimed is 1. A leak stopper for ships embodying :1

plate, arms each pivoted at one end to the plate, and expansion springs interposed between the free ends of the arms and the plate.

2. A leak stopper for ships comprising a plate, arms pivoted each at one end to the plate, springs interposed between the arms and plate, and a gasket carried by the plate.

3. A. leak stopper for ships comprising a plate provided with a central opening, arms pivoted each at one end to the plate, springs interposed between the free ends of the arms and plate, a gasket carried by the plate, and a disk removably carried by the plate for closing the opening therein.

4. A leak stopper for ships comprising a plate, arms pivoted to the plate and adapted to extend in opposite directions therefrom, and retaining screws carried by the arms.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE WATFORD. 

